How travel retail is being starved of its critical business source – passengers

INTERNATIONAL. Travellers are the lifeblood of the travel retail industry worldwide, writes Martin Moodie. By definition, without them, the sector simply cannot function. While many airlines and airports are still operating around the globe (and therefore allowing travel retail business to continue), an increasing wave of government- or business-imposed restrictions combined with a growing consumer reluctance to travel, is taking an increasingly drastic toll on passenger traffic.

Preparing a guide to all the airport and downtown travel retail stores worldwide to have temporarily closed – something requested by several readers – is proving a hugely difficult task due to the sheer pace of change on travel advisories and restrictions, terminal closures and partial or complete stops to store or F&B trading.

We will continue to do our best to provide the latest information in this regard (we hope to have a new service by tomorrow), but we are ourselves overwhelmed by the sheer pace of change and the resultant workload.

To underline just how globally wide-spread the impact is, here is a selection of the latest travel restrictions. We will add to this list throughout the day. From it, one can extrapolate much of the impact on key sectors of our industry – particularly airport commercial channels such as duty free that are limited to international passengers.

Some excellent additional links can be found as follows:

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice (An excellent A-Z of latest foreign travel developments and advice from the UK government)

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/coronavirus-travel-bans/index.html (CNN’s constantly updated list of countries)

Truly a global crisis. The COVID-19 toll nears 200,000. Click to enlarge and here for a safe link to a constantly updated country-by-country count.

Argentina: The country has closed its borders to all incoming foreigners until at least 29 March. The ban does not apply to legal permanent residents.

Australia: All arriving visitors must self-quarantine. Those who have visited, China, Iran, Italy or South Korea in past 14 days prohibited to enter or transit.

Cambodia: Foreign nationals arriving from Italy, Germany, Spain, France and the US banned for 30 days, starting 17 March.

Canada: Entry prohibited to anyone other than Canadian citizens, US citizens or permanent residents. Several Canadian and US reports say that US-Canada border crossing limits are expected.

China: All international arrivals to the capital, Beijing must undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine at designated facilities. Arrivals from Iran, Italy, Japan or Korea and travelling to Beijing, Guangzhou or Shanghai are subject to a 14-day quarantine. Shanghai has listed 12 countries from which arriving travellers will be quarantined for 14 days [Source: CNN]

Czech Republic: Visitors from Austria, China, Denmark, France Iran, Italy, Germany, Norway, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, Norway are banned for an initial 30 days starting 16 March. Czechs and foreigners with permanent or long-term residency are not allowed to leave the country.

Egypt: Flights in and out of Egyptian airports suspended for two weeks starting 19 March.

European Union: Non-essential travel to the EU prohibited for 30 days.

Germany: The country introduced travel restrictions for entries from outside the Schengen area on 17 March. All corresponding entries by plane or ship are affected. Entry remains possible for German citizens. Shops and food & beverage outlets at several German airports have closed or are operating on limited hours.

EU citizens and those of Great Britain, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland and their family members are allowed to transit through Germany to reach their home countries. The same applies for foreigners holding a residence permit in one of these countries. Other people may be rejected entry if they cannot provide proof of urgent reasons for their entry.

In addition, temporary borders controls have been introduced between Germany and France, Austria, Switzerland, Luxemburg and Denmark from 16 March. Deliveries of goods and commuters are allowed to cross these borders. Travellers on any ‘non-essential travels’ may be refused entry.

Hong Kong (China): From tomorrow 19 March all arriving travellers from foreign countries to self-quarantine. Hong Kong has also issued a red outbound travel alert for all countries and territories other than Mainland China, Macau and Taiwan.

Hungary: Borders closed to non-nationals.

India: All travellers from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK are prohibited. All tourist visas are suspended and a 14-day quarantine is mandatory for all arrivals.

Iran: Many western countries have advised against all but essential travel to Iran and Iran Air has suspended all flights to Europe until further notice. Flights to other destinations with other airlines are still operating from Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport.

Israel: Israel has denied foreign nationals entry into the country as of March 12, but “permission to enter Israel will be considered for foreign nationals who can prove that they have a place and are able to go into a 14-day isolation”.

Japan: The country has banned entry to travellers who have been in affected regions of China, South Korea or Italy within the last 14 days. Japanese nationals, their spouses and children are exempt.

Malaysia: From March 18 to 31 the government has implemented a strict movement control order. All Malaysians are barred from travelling abroad. Those returning from overseas must undergo a health inspection and self-quarantine for 14 days. All foreign visitors are banned for the period.

Montenegro: Both of the country’s international airports (Podgorica and Tivat) are closed, and the duty free shops at both locations have been closed since Friday (13 March). No one is allowed into the country except citizens and those with residency visas. All international bus, ferry and train services are suspended. Land borders are closed for passenger traffic and will only allow commercial vehicles to pass through.

New Zealand: All arriving travellers, including New Zealand citizens and residents, are required to self-isolate for 14 days. Arrivals from the Pacific Islands are exempted.

Philippines:  All mass public transport on Luzon, the island home to metropolitan Manila has been suspended. Philippines Airlines has ceased all domestic flights from 17 March to 12 April. International flights will stop at 11:59 pm on 19 March until at least 12 April. Cebu Pacific has cancelled all domestic and international flights from 19 March to 14 April.

Qatar: Only Qatari nationals are currently permitted to enter the country, and they will be required to enter quarantine for 14r days.

Russia: Effective 18 March all foreign nationals are banned from entry until 1 May. The ban will not apply to diplomats, airplane crew members, permanent residents of the Russian Federation, or transit passengers.

Saudi Arabia: A temporary ban on travel to and from most of Europe and 12 countries in Asia and Africa is in place.

South Africa: President Ramaphosa has declared a national state of disaster and announced that all travellers who have entered South Africa from high-risk countries since mid-February will be required to present themselves for testing.

South Korea: From 19 March, all travellers will be subject to additional screening for COVID-19 on arrival at South Korean ports and airports. They will also be asked to report their health status to the authorities for 14 days after arrival. Visitors who have been in China’s Hubei Province in the past 14 days, and passport holders from that region, are not permitted entry.

Spain: A state of emergency has been declared in Spain, including strict lockdown policies including restrictions on travel in and out of the country. Land borders between Spain and Portugal were closed on Monday.

Switzerland: The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs is advising against all but essential travel for Swiss nationals. The department also urged Swiss travellers abroad to return to the country if possible.

UAE: All arrivals in the UAE will need to enter a 14-day mandatory quarantine, the country’s Attorney General Hamad Al Shamsi has said. The Ministry of Health and Prevention has also urged UAE citizens and residents to avoid travelling abroad due to the spread of the virus in multiple countries, and nationals of the UAE are not permitted to travel to Qatar, Thailand or Iran.

UK: The government has advised British nationals against all but essential international travel.

US: Travel from the UK and Ireland suspended along with 26 countries in the Schengen zone. Travellers who have visited China and Iran in the last 14 days prohibited. Several Canadian and US reports say that US-Canada border crossing limits are expected.

NOTE: To provide information for our industry service offering up-to-date store, F&B and airport/terminal closures as well as downtown/border duty free store closures, email Martin Moodie at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com

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